Young Te Anau artist is one to watch

Studying art in Auckland ‘‘wasn’t her cup of tea’’ so Ruth Crouchley returned to Te Anau to pursue her dream of making a career in art.

It’s starting to pay off – she won the Emerging Artist Award at the Riversdale Arts Mixed media exhibition on Friday night.

The 21-year-old’s work entitled The Legend of the Lake was described as ‘‘beautifully executed’’ by judges Jim and Marcella Geddes, of the Eastern Southland Gallery.

‘‘This beautifully executed painting embraced a legend that has its genesis not too far from here – at Lake Te Anau. Not only does it reflect a key Southland story but there are sufficient nuances within the painting to present the exhibition visitor with a range of cultural viewpoints and story possibilities, Jim Geddes said.

Crouchley said she was ‘‘pretty stoked’’ with her win and would spend her $1000 prize money on art materials.

Her work, in acrylic, was based on the Ma¯ ori legend of how Lake Te Anau was formed.

The judges also made a special mention of Queenstown artist Mika Turnbull’s very impressive still life Cafe´ Culture.

Gore artist Diane Young carried off a trifecta, winning the Best Local Artist for three years running with her painting titled Piano Flat.

For the first time the exhibition, which runs until Sunday, features an installation.

Created by Dunedin artist Janet de Wagt and Gore cake artist Jude Taylor, it comprises a bright blue 1976 Mazda B1600 farm truck, local landscapes and packaged artworks covered in past exhibition posters to represent the organisations’ 45 previous exhibitions. More than 160 people attended the opening of the exhibition on Friday night.